John Clay's Sidelines

Updated UK basketball roster with return of Patrick Patterson and signing of Eric Bledsoe:

H-L photo/David Perry

Big Blue Links for Tuesday:

• Jerry Tipton of the Herald-Leader writes that college life keeps Patrick Patterson at UK.
• Valarie Honeycutt Spears of the H-L reports on UK’s approval of a $72 million athletic budget.
• Spears also reports that UK is looking at new arena proposals.
• Brett Dawson of the Courier-Journal writes that Patterson wants to play for John Calipari.
• Mike DeCourcy of the Sporting News writes that schools know that John Wall is worth the wait.
• Bluegrass State Baskeball hears that Wall has trimmed his list.
• Tom Leach writes that Patterson followed his heart.
• Leach also has a video interview with Buster Patterson.
• In the Danville Advocate-Messenger, Larry Vaught has stories on Patterson and his parents.
• Inner Circle takes a look at Jamal Mashburn, Kenny Walker and Patterson.
• At CBS Sportsline, Gary Parrish tells why many coaches have backed off of Lance Stephenson.

SEC links for Tuesday:

• Kyle Veazey of the Clarion-Ledger reports that Jarvis Varnado is returning to Mississippi State.
• Chip Towers of the AJC reports that ex-Georgia basketball player Tony Cole is involved in jail fight.
• In the Mobile Press-Register, Paul Finebaum writes that maybe Tennessee did the right thing signing Daniel Hood.
• David Climer of the Tennessean also says that Lane Kiffin shouldn’t be criticized for signing Hood.
• Birmingham News columnist Ray Melick thinks maybe it’s time Mike Slive put a muzzle on SEC coaches.

Continue reading ‘SEC links: Varnado returning to Mississippi State’

Here’s what I’ve heard from local radio call-in shows:

• WLAP-630: Dick Gabriel says that he is scheduled to have John Calipari in studio at 7 p.m.

Patrick Patterson talks about his decision to remove his name from the NBA draft and return for his junior season.

Here at Memorial Coliseum for the Patrick Patterson and John Calipari press conference to discuss Patterson’s decision to stay at UK:

• That’s the end of the press conference.

• Asked about injuries. Said he thinks about it. “These past three years, I’ve had just an ankle injury, but it has played a thought in my mind. . . . I try not to think about it,” he said. “I’ll do whatever I can to keep my body 100 percent.”

• Said that Calipari told him that he was behind his decision, either way. Said Calipari told him what to expect if he did go on the workouts.

• “I can still come back and be me around campus, get all the love and attention from the fans like I always do,” he said. “That played another role in coming back.”

• Said being able to come back and still be a young adult was important to him, too. “Not being out there by myself,” he said.

• Asked if he would be coming back if there wasn’t a coaching change. “I don’t know,” he said. “But there was a coaching change and I am coming back.”

• “I know that the NBA is always going to be there. Hopefully, it will always be there for me,” said Patterson.

• Said he did talk to Eric Bledsoe a lot about staying when Bledsoe was on campus for his visit.

• Said he told Jodie Meeks in a text message. “I didn’t want my decision to weigh on his,” he said.

Continue reading ‘Liveblog: Patterson and (no) Calipari press conference’

Patrick Patterson and John Calipari are holding a media briefing at 1 p.m. to talk about Patterson’s return to the Cats after his brief exploratory expedition with the NBA.

The plan is to be there and liveblog from the event, provided the wireless is strong. Should be.

See you then.

Big Blue Links for Monday:

• Mark Maloney of the Herald-Leader reports on UK baseball’s loss to Auburn in series finale.
• John Zenor of AP on how John Calipari and UK are following in Alabama’s footsteps.
• Tom Ziller of Sporting News writes on how Yao’s injury puts Chuck Hayes in the spotlight. (Hat tip Spam’s Wildcat Page.)
• Jody Demling of the Courier-Journal writes that Rex Chapman’s son is starting to get some national attention.
• Bluegrass State Basketball wonders what will Jodie Meeks do.
• Inner Circle says only a Final Four would cure this funk.
• Straitpinkie on UK players in the NBA playoffs.
• Iliana Lemon of the Orlando Sentinel reports that C-USA will examine life without Calipari.

SEC links for Monday:

• Roll Bama Roll reminds us that Bear Bryant always had a good message for Mother’s Day, thus the video.
• Maurice Patton of the Tennessean writes on Shan Foster’s successful season in Italy.
• Tommy Hicks of the Mobile Press-Register writes that there’s no pinging in baseball.
• Tim Gayle of the Montgomery Advertiser reports that Alabama baseball is still in the SEC title hunt.
• Randy Rosetta of The Advocate writes on LSU baseball’s uninspiring effort in loss to Florida.
• Jennifer Iannone of the Athens Banner-Herald reports on Georgia baseball’s win over Vandy.

Continue reading ‘SEC links: Morning after Mother’s Day links’

H-L photo/Mark Cornelison

Big Blue Links for Sunday:

• G.J. Vilarino’s dad says Calipari will regret decision, reports the Herald-Leader’s Jerry Tipton.
• My column on looking forward to UK basketball next season.
• Mark Maloney of the H-L reports on UK baseball’s sweep of Auburn.
• UK’s tennis teams are eliminated from NCAA Tournaments.
• Chip Cosby of the H-L writes that recruiting and camps fill UK football’s summer.
• In the Courier-Journal, Jody Demling writes on UK target Will Barton.
• Brett Dawson of the C-J reports on the UK men’s tennis loss in the NCAAs.
• A Sea of Blue on the University of Calipari.

Continue reading ‘BBL: Hoops notes and a Kentucky baseball sweep’